Letter: Demanding times for teenagers

Sir: I am a 15-year-old schoolgirl who has been on half-term holiday this week. Due to this free time away from schoolwork, I have had ample opportunity to watch television and read newspaper reports about the death of little James Bulger.

I, like the rest of the population, find the possible involvement of juveniles horrific, but another subject that I find disturbing is the reaction of the media. Every chat show on television or radio seems to be concerned with the decline in attitude and community spirit of the entire teenage population; therefore, I would like to put forward an adolescent's view of the world.

I come from a fairly privileged background and attend a good day school. This puts me at an advantage to many children of my age, but there are people at my school who are undergoing character changes, due to the worry inflicted on them by the impending bankruptcy of their parents.

Is it any wonder that we are different from generations who have grown up in happier and more prosperous times, when we have no money, no job prospects and, even with a degree, no future?

I am trying to prevent this from sounding like a child's anti-adult campaign, therefore reinforcing many people's opinion of us; but we cannot be blamed for the poor state of the economy, the recession or the gross unemployment. We are the victims of circumstance, and what we need is support, not criticism.

Yours faithfully,

LAURA JOHNSON

Hyde, Cheshire

17 February